On Colonial Mentality

Colonial mentality where it is really present is a weakening of that self-cognizant sense of national self-identity as a spirit derived from each our particular nations as itself.

It has direct recourse not upon our dwelling on past things but on the ever present and abiding truth of each of our own particular belongings to each other as nations distinct from all the other nations of the one family of the nations of Mankind.
---<--@

Hatred of the past where the past itself can neither receive our hate nor hold itself together is not the way in sacred remembrance ensures the present - there is no looking back into any past - nor is there distance trailing in any form or measure behind time itself - eternal must be our sense of remembrances - never temporal - love of our heroes does not entail hatred of what evil has already passed from their love which is ever present in ourselves -

But colonial mentality when it becomes an excuse to dwell upon the non-existent past over and above the sufferings of the present time - in any nation and in any place and time - is an insufferable indulgence that is universally offensive to the natural reason of common citizens.

To be sure, I have already completely worked out in myself my own personal troubles with colonial mentality - how can one not who have come to a conviction and faith in the will of Divine Providence? Spain to me is not a hated past but a living present and a kindred nation. And I would that Spanish be returned in our curriculum as our third language - for good things are real and can be held on to but to hold on to evil things will more likely result in the evil in all evil things holding on to us - for I recognize the good and act upon the good in order to overcome, by grace of God, what evil I see in myself as well as in my community. Nor have I diluted myself to the remembrance of our heroes - it is not for hate that I remember them but for virtues great and magnificent - for if our remembrance resorts to hate, where shall it lead us and how shall it affect our heart of hearts? Shall it make our hearts brighter or less than what other hearts expect from us?

Colonial mentality, if we rectify our own sense of eternal remembrances - really has no roots - it is the dwelling upon of the dwelling upon of a past-past - that must be broken by a return to our belongings to each other as nations - to be here in the now, here and now. Recall to mind our sense of Just Equality and know that this also applies to nations -

All men, women and children are common peers and beheld by one common Creator, upon Whose justice we derive our equality of a divine dignity and potential for good, by which at the rising of every moment, we are to each other - ABSOLUTELY EQUAL in every way - as human beings and as human nations.

Equal in dignity and potential for good - at any moment - if we shall observe it in ourselves, this is an absolute form of equality - always true to our truth and always present to our presence.

We are only by our virtues made distinct - not in order to lord it over each other - in the words of my Lord Jesus Christ - but to serve others and be enabled to serve others more, loving each other as keeper and friend.

Our belongings to each other is more real than any past, more imminent than any moment rising - it is always here, if we should ever wish to recollect ourselves it is to Ourselves we must return.

How we reach our futures depend entirely on how we live out our present and not on how we dwell upon our past, evil and terrible though it may have been, it shall never do any of us any good to judge our LORD's creation by any of those evils that absolutely does not belong here.

Forgetfulness of the past is an ignorance of the present - For what is to forget in the past? What in our present make us ignorant of the cumulative wake of our history? Is this not evil? And an evil neither intended nor purposed by any of us here and now - so it must lead us back into truth - for evil serve no other purpose.

Because to forget the past is to die to our common memory and to ignore the present is to withdraw from our common destiny.

Now, "Mabuhay" - means long life - and this life, must be more than just each our individual lives - for this salutation is a salutation not of individuals but of a nation - and so I have thought, this life is the life of our sacred remembrance - it means - "long may our remembrances serve us" - to keep us always alive to the memory of our nation and to the life of our people.

So when I say or hear "Mabuhay", I know now to be aware enough for this national salutation to always wax meaningful to my heart - and to keep me there, here where We, the People, forever belong.

So please ponder on this in your own hearts as well, my dear compatriots -

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Let us continue to work to complete our remembrances.
---<--@

Prosper the Peace. Prosper the People.

Sancta Sanctis!

Glory to God in the highest
Adoration to Jesus Christ
Peace to men of good will.